Research

As you know, scientists are seeking to reverse aging in humans. Some studies are now beginning.

Funding has been secured for some of these clinical studies.

The costs of certain projects, however, will require them to be self-funded. In these cases, each study subject will have to pay their portion of expenses of being part of the study.

The dasatinib/quercetin study of senolytics therapy will commence shortly and funding was provided by a long-time Life Extension® supporter. It is divided into three phases to test different dose timing. Phase One is now fully enrolled, but other phases are still enrolling subjects. Participants can travel to Los Angeles or Idaho and must be available for two weekends in a row.

The NAD+ infusion has commenced and funding has been secured to cover 100% of this study’s cost. This study is fully enrolled. Future studies that will test NAD+ infusions for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and stroke patients, are being planned. Let us know if you’d like to participate.

The rapamycin study site has been moved to Southern California. There is also new information available about gaining access to a rapamycin treatment protocol in Long Island, New York.

The rapamycin study aims to directly suppress mTOR and clear aged cells of toxic debris. The study may commence within the next few months. It was originally planned to be based in Long Island, New York, but it will likely move to Southern California. Funding has been secured to cover 100% of this study’s cost. The primary cost of this and some other studies are the extensive clinical and biomarker measures that must be done to assess if biological age reversal is occurring. Enrollment for this study is currently open. This study will be conducted in Los Angeles, California.

Those who want to self-pay for a novel rapamycin protocol that has not yet been studied can do so by traveling to Long Island, New York. For information, log on to www.RescueElders.org/studies and check off the Rapamycin box and submit that information to us with your email address.

The GDF11 trial is planned to initiate in Nassau, Bahamas around October of this year and will require each study participant to self-fund $7,800 for one year’s treatment, which includes costs of extensive clinical and biomarker measurements.

A clinical trial studying the immunomodulatory properties and cost-effectiveness of mesenchymal stem cells as an alternative treatment for chronic autoimmune conditions is commencing. The trial begins with rheumatoid arthritis (1st study in series), followed by inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease (2nd study in series) and ulcerative colitis (3rd study in series). Individual treatment costs will vary depending upon the severity and progression of the disease, number of treatments required, and autologous stem cell yields.

The thymus regeneration study will be based in California but is available nationwide. The cost to participate in a one-year trial will be a maximum of $28,000, which includes medications, MRI scans of the thymus (optional), and high-tech monitoring of immune status. The expected re-growth of the thymus gland (based on preliminary results from a 10-patient pilot study) may provide immune restoration benefits that may last for decades.

Young plasma transfer studies (also called Therapeutic Plasma Exchange) will initially be conducted at several sites in Florida, North Carolina, Colorado and Southern California. We anticipate more sites in the U.S. later this year. Two treatment protocols will be offered, one using 5% albumin and immunoglobulins (plasma components derived from young donors), and the other using directed/designated young donor plasma. Comprehensive testing, including early detection testing for Alzheimer’s and immune senescence markers will be offered in both protocols. The expected cost for six infusions of Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) including comprehensive measurements of possible efficacy is estimated at $50,000. We anticipate follow-up protocols which may provide six initial transfusions followed by 12 monthly partial transfusions. This study incorporates participation of your Primary Care Physician (PCP) to document medical history and track the long-term effects of treatment.

The most expensive of all these studies will be infusing stem cell-mobilized young plasma concentrates each month into elderly people over a one-year period. I have reason to believe this study may induce the most meaningful systemic rejuvenating effects. It is the most expensive of these studies because it requires the recruitment of healthy young donors who will have their stem cells mobilized from their bone marrow followed by an apheresis procedure(s) to remove their stem cell-mobilized blood.

This stem-cell mobilized blood removed from the young donor will be separated and the enriched plasma will be infused monthly into elderly individuals. This stem cell-mobilized young plasma study will be based in South Florida. Due to high setup costs, we need those who enroll in this study to commit to remaining in it for two years and be available for follow-up evaluations.

Those who self-fund and/or participate in these clinical trials will be making an invaluable contribution to medical science, in addition to potentially growing biologically younger. There is published evidence to substantiate the rejuvenating potential of each of these human studies.

Note that none of these human studies plan at this time to have a placebo group. In other words, you will not be self-funding your participation only to receive a placebo; you will be receiving the actual treatment.

To move this research forward, we need to know which of these studies you would like to participate in. Below are summaries of each study and what the annual cost will be. The cost of travel and lodging expenses related to these studies is not included. Note that some studies are short in duration, so you may be able to participate in more than one.

Rapamycin (mTOR suppressor/autophagy inducer)
Cost to participate: -0-
20 or more study subjects
Location: Los Angeles, California
Time at clinic: 1 day (plus clinical/biomarker follow-ups)
(Treatment with rapamycin is now available in Long Island, New York. Go to www.RescueElders.org/studies check the box for this study, enter your email address, and submit your information. Shortly thereafter, we’ll send you more information about this treatment protocol, which is NOT a clinical study.)

GDF11 Restoration
Cost to participate: $7,800 for one year (lower cost after first year)
60 study subjects
Location: Nassau, Bahamas
Time at clinic: 2 days (with follow-ups at 3 and 12 months)

Thymus Regeneration(partial immune restoration)
Cost to participate: $28,000 for one year (no further treatment anticipated)
50 study subjects
Location: California, but available nationwide
Time at clinic: 1 day (with follow-ups at 9 and 12 months)

Young Plasma Transfer/Apheresis
Cost to participate: $50,000 for six consecutive infusions (protocols with extended treatment durations will cost more).
100 study subjects
Location: Your primary care physician’s office. Multiple U.S. sites in North and South Florida, North Carolina, Colorado, San Diego initially; more U.S sites to be announced.
Time at clinic: 1 day initial visit and then one day for each infusion over six week course with follow-up visits to measure results)

Stem cell-mobilized Young Plasma Infusions
Cost to participate: To be Determined
60 study subjects
Location: South Florida
Time at clinic: 1 day treatment each month (with follow-up measures)

Please be sure to enter your email address, so we can update your file with RescueElders.org, and contact you with relevant and timely information. Once you’ve entered your email address and checked the studies you’re interested in, submit the information to us, and we’ll endeavor to keep you updated.